


The Emerald Heart

by alliebird58



Category: Once Upon a Time (TV)
Genre: F/M, Fluff, Marriage Proposal, Romance
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-12-14
Updated: 2015-12-14
Packaged: 2018-05-06 17:38:15
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 918
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/5425865
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/alliebird58/pseuds/alliebird58
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>A winter night encounter between the Highland's Queen and the man who stole her heart.</p>
            </blockquote>





	The Emerald Heart

**Author's Note:**

> I had fluffy Merintosh feels and then this happened.
> 
> I don’t even know you guys.

There are soft, white snowflakes drifting from the frozen evening sky. It’s a night where the trees seem to shine with thick layers of ice, the snow crunches softly under her boots, and everything is blessedly quiet. 

Merida had made her way out of the booming, noisy hall to allow herself just a few brief moments silence. She loved her people - who were loud and raucous and of genuine hearts and kind souls - but they did not do anything by halves. This whole-hearted enthusiasm for life included every celebration and festival throughout the land, especially during the magic of the winter holiday. She did enjoy the unrestrained energy, but a moment of tranquility (especially in between the chaos of ruling) was nice in a much simpler way. 

Merida took a breath of sharp, cool air into her lungs, enjoying how it refreshed her from the inside of her soul out. Feeling her eyes drift shut in content, she missed the sound of approaching feet until a pair of arms wrapped around her waist, pulling her back into a strong chest. 

“Ye left without a word, my love. Caused me a moment of panic. Your brother had quite the laugh at my expense,” she heard a low, soothing voice whisper into her ear. Merida relaxed into the embrace, feeling herself melt into the warmth of the body behind hers. 

“Oh, aye, sorry. Just wanted a bit of quiet for a mo’. It’s so peaceful out here.” She turned around so she could wind her arms up and around Mac’s shoulders, just in time to see a small smile flicker across his face. 

“Aye, tis a beautiful night for sure. Not nearly as beautiful as the lass in my arms though,” he offered with a wink, and Merida felt herself flush with embarrassment. Almost three years together and she still blushed like a silly school maiden at his pretty words. Though she was able to accept such compliments with a bit more decorum than in those early days, when he would spin words just to watch her blush and stammer like an idiot. 

But Merida still rolled her eyes and cuffed him upside the head.

He let out a laugh, eyes shining, and Merida thought (not for the first time) that she could easily spend a lifetime gazing into them. 

“Yer a great fool, Cothric Macintosh, spewing such nonsense to yer queen.” 

“Aye, a fool I may be, milady, but I am your fool.” 

Merida felt her heart leap into her throat, as it always did, at his mention of being hers. Truth be told, even after all this time, she was a bit in awe of the fact that they had fallen together despite everything life had put in between them. She was pulled from her musings by Mac pulling a small box from a pocket within the cloak draped around his shoulders. 

He bowed his head slightly, handing her the small package. Merida unwrapped herself from his arms, taking the box with gentle hands, “What in the world is this? I told ye how many times that I’m no’ a lass who needs gifts, Mac.” 

He shuffled his feet slightly, head tilting down and hand rubbing his neck. “Aye, I know that. I just…this is somethin’ I really wanted ye to have.” 

Merida fumbled with the lid for a moment, before pulling her gloves off her with her teeth and tossing them into the snow. Blowing a strand of hair out of her eyes, she opened the box and felt her breath catch in her throat. 

Nestled inside the velvet container was the most beautiful necklace she had ever laid eyes on. It was simple, a shimmering emerald green stone cut in a heart shape, surrounded by a multitude of white smaller stones. The light from the castle bounced off the gems, making them wink in the firelight. 

“Oh, Mac, this is beautiful. Wherever did ye get such a thing?”

His face brightened at her pleased words, pulling the necklace from the container and undoing the catch. Merida turned around, pulling her hair into her hands so he could slip the chain around her neck, and Macintosh closed the clasp of the necklace, pressing a kiss to the back of her neck. He turned her around so she was facing him, and gently took her hands in his. 

“Twas my mother’s, from many years ago. My father bought it for her when they became betrothed. They were married for almost twenty happy years. Before she died, she gave it to me…said that when I found the lass I wanted to spend forever with, I should give it to her and maybe it would bring us the same kind of happiness they had.” 

Merida felt her eyes well with tears, “Mac, are ye saying what I think ye are?” 

He pressed a kiss to one of her hands, then the other, and took a steadying breath. 

“Merida, my beautiful, magnificent queen…you are my forever. I want to spend every day of the rest of my life by yer side. I want to wake up to yer face until my eyes can no longer see. If ye let me, I will spend the rest of eternity trying to make ye happy. What do ye say?” 

A pause, only a moments hesitation, and Merida felt tears beating a path down her face even as her grin blossomed, before pressing an ardent kiss to his lips. 

“Forever sounds perfect.”


End file.
